4 Carolina Panthers players that can lock up 2023 roster spot in Preseason Week 2
By Dean Jones
Which Carolina Panthers players can lock down a place on the 53-man roster during their Preseason Week 2 game at the New York Giants?
After a lackluster showing against the New York Jets to begin their preseason slate, Carolina Panthers head coach Frank Reich and his coaching staff are expecting better execution from their players at the New York Giants on Friday evening. That might be difficult with some bland schemes in place, but making the best out of a less-than-ideal situation remains the primary objective.
Reich stated that Bryce Young will start and play a similar amount. There's also a chance things open up in terms of play-calling on both sides of the football - albeit without giving much away before the regular season arrives.
Those fighting for depth chart places are running out of time to stake their claim. The Panthers are dealing with some injury issues currently, which increases the window of opportunity for some depending on how they fare over the next fortnight.
With this in mind, here are four Panthers players that can lock up roster spots at the Giants in Preseason Week 2.
Chandler Wooten - Carolina Panthers LB
Kamu Grugier-Hill seems to have locked down the primary backup role behind starting middle linebacker duo Shaq Thompson and Frankie Luvu after an exceptional preparation period. Although he's gone completely under the radar, Chandler Wooten is another doing a lot of nice things that won't be going unnoticed by the primary decision-makers.
Wooten suited up nine times for the Carolina Panthers last season, deployed on special teams. He wasn't trusted with defensive snaps under Steve Wilks in 2022, but that situation could change based on the player's progression this off-season.
If the former Auburn star can match his seven-tackle performance from Preseason Week 1 and display the same sideline-to-sideline athleticism, Wooten might cement his place on the 53-man roster along the way.